Detonating composition.



umnn sra'ras rn'rnn'r orrrcn WALTER LEE MAIN, OF CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA,ASSIGNOR TO E. I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS POWDER COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON,DELAWARE, A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

No Drawing.

' clare that the following is a full,.clear, and

-' exact description thereof.

My invention relates particularly to an improved composition for use indetonators, as for example, in blasting caps ignited by fuses orelectrically, and it has reference specially to blasting caps used fordetonation of dynamite.

Hitherto blasting caps have usually consisted of a primary detonatingcompound such as fulminate of mercury and an admixed ingredient such aschlorate of potash, this mixture being usually comprised of 80 to 9.0parts of fulminate 'of mercury mixed with from 20 to 10 parts ofpotassium chlorate. The small percentage of potassium chlorate used hasbeen found to increase the detonating force of the fulminate mixturewhile, at the same time, it renders the same less expensive. It. has notbeen possible to use more than 20% of potassium chlorate, however,without decreasing the detonating force of the mixture.

The object of my invention is to provide a 'detonating composition,which has even a greater detonating force than the mix ture containingfulminate of mercury and potassium chlorate above referred to, andwhich, at the same time, permits a larger percentage of the ingredientadded to the fulminate of mercury to be used in the mixture.

I-have discovered that if a bromate, as for example, sodium or potassiumbromate, is substituted for the potassium chlorate more than 20% of themixture may be comprised of the bromate while, at the same time, acomposition having a higher detonating force is obtained than either ofthe mixtures obtained by mixing 90 parts of fulminate of mercury with 10parts of chlorate of potash or by mixihg 80 parts of fulminate ofmercury with 20 parts of potassium chlorate.

While my invention is capable of being 'carried outin many differentways, for the purpose of illustration, I shall mention only certain waysherein in which my invention Specification of Letters Patent.

DETONATING COMPOSITION,

Patented July 27, 1915.

Application filed May 7, 1914. Serial No. 836,934.

may be'carried out. For example, a mixture of 70 parts of fulminate ofmercury and 30 parts of potassium bromate maybe used. This has a greaterdetonating force than a mixture of 80 parts of fulminate of mercury and20 parts of potassium chlorate. A mixture of 60 parts of fulminate ofmercury'and 40 parts of potassium bromate,

moreover, gives good results and mixtures containing fulminate ofmercury and potassium chlorate. For example, a mixture c'ontaining 60parts of fulminate of mercury and .40 parts of finely divided potassiumbromate may be loaded in the ordinary manner into copper shells andpressed in the usual way. The blasting cap thus produced can beignitedby a fuse or by electrio current in the usual manner. A blasting capmade in this manner has greater detonating force than a blasting capcontaining'equal weights of fulminate of mercury and chlorate of potash.The bromates, as for example, potassium bromate -may also be used in asimilar manner with other primary detonating compounds, as for' example,lead azide with good results. F urthermore, a mixture of a bromate and aprimary detonating compound may also be used as the priming charge forblasting caps whether ignited by a fuse or electrically, which contain amain charge of an explosive that cannot be detonated directly by theflame from a fuse. For example, I may press a charge of 8 grains oftrinitrotoluene into a blasting cap shell and press on top of that apriming charge of 6 grains bf a mixture of 70 parts of ,fulminate' ofmercury and ,30 parts of potassium bromate.

While I have described my invention above in detail, I wish it to beunderstood that many changes may be made therein without departing fromthe spirit of my invention. i

I claim:

1. An explosive containing a primary detonatingv compound and a bromate.

a 9.. An explosive containing --a primary,

detonating compound and potassium bromate.

3. A charge for blasting caps containing 'a primary detonating compoundand a bromate.

' -4. A charge for blasting caps containing a primary detonatingcompoundand potassium bromate.. Y v

5. An explosiy e containing fulmlnate of mercury and a bromate.

6. An explosive conta'ning fulminate of mercury and potassium bromate.

I and; a brgmate.

10, A priming charge for blasting caps containing a primary cletonatingcompound and potassium bromate.

11. A priming charge for blasting caps containing fulminate of mercuryand-a bromate.. 1

12. A priming charge for blasting caps [containing fulminate of mercuryand'potas'-' sium bromate.

13. An explosive containing from to" 95 per cent. of fiilminate ofmercury and 70 to 5 percent. of potassium bromate;

14. A charge for blasting caps containing from 30 to 95 per cent. offulminate of mercuryand 70 to 5 per cent; of potassium bro mate. a

15. A priming charge for blasting caps containing, from 30 to 95 percent. of fulminate of mercury and. 7 O to 5 per cent. of potassiumbromate.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my'hand. t

WALTER MAIN. Witnesses: A

WM. P. LEAR, MILLICENT M. KELso..

